


Aspiring Fires

by himeprince



Category: Dangan Ronpa, Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: AU, Almost sexual assault, Bullying, High School AU, Manipulation, Multi, Probably a happy ending, Violence, unhealthy relationship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-16
Updated: 2017-06-25
Packaged: 2018-09-24 19:39:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,293
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9782312
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/himeprince/pseuds/himeprince
Summary: Most kids would find the first week of a new school to be terrifying. Maybe even the second week, when they're still trying to get adjusted to the social order and the work.Junko Enoshima is bored the fourth day. Not even the first week is over, and everything feels like a continuous, repetitive hell. Fortunately, this new school is full of interesting people that she can pull along like puppets tied to strings. In conclusion: Junko manipulates everyone and there's Hello Kitty guns, satanic little sisters, two school shootings (well, twice in the same day), and more.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> The actual chapters will be muuuch more longer than the prologue, and I intend on updating frequently! Stay tuned to learn about poor, poor Mikan's life - as well as the others! I'm always a slut for constructive criticism and you can always message me on sjw-homura on tumblr!

Junko Enoshima was bored.

  
Not like this didn't happen often, because it definitely did. The problem was what she did _because_ she was bored.

  
She was sitting on a worn-out wooden desk, tapping her red acrylic nails against the surface. To the average student, it would seem that their new classmate Junko was simply spacing out, like half of the other students in the room. If they had bothered to look a bit closer, they would find her usually intense, bright blue eyes to be glazed over, and her model-like body as stiff as a board.

  
It was all necessary for her to come up with a plan, of course. A plan brilliant and despair-inducing enough to relieve her of the dreadful boredom that plagued her everyday life.

  
And in the few minutes that she spent plotting, she had three-fourths of it complete. She knew exactly what she had to do, when to do it, and how to do it. But there was one missing factor.

  
"Aaaah! I'm so sorry! Please please please forgive me for being late!" A shrill voice sounded out. It came to her in a flash, and her glassy eyes snapped into focus - right onto the girl who had just stumbled into the classroom. She was a scrawny looking thing, with dark purple hair knotted and clumped in various areas. The pathetic target was always the victim of unrelentless teasing. It had become apparent in the four days Junko had attended Kamukura High School, that no one ever really talked to the girl. Always left out of conversations, and even bullied in the more severe scenarios.

  
The blonde girl grinned maliciously as the plan reached 100% complete in her mind. Her boredom would soon come to an end, and the plan would soon start it's beginning.


	2. The First Meeting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tw for sexual harassment and bullying

If Mikan had to pick her absolute favorite place in the whole wide world, it would be her school's nurse's office. Okay, maybe a hospital would be in first place. There was nothing like the strong scent of iodoform disinfectant specific to the two places. It made everything seem super clean and fresh.

  
_Hehehe, that's a really strange thing to like,_ Mikan thought to herself, and accidentally chuckled out loud. A deeper chuckle sounded from behind her, and she whirled into the air.

Behind her were two guys she recognized from her homeroom class. One had fiery red, gelled hair that reminded her of a hedgehog, and the other had neon pink hair and looked rather nervous. The two were a strange, sort-of punk duo, and although the younger kid with the red hair (Leon..?) constantly picked on her, the other guy seemed more subdued. He wouldn't meet her eye, but he constantly glanced at the exit.

  
"Heyyy, well if it isn't that junior chick who fell this morning! Yo Souda, do you remember what color panties she's wearing?"

  
Mikan felt her palms begin to sweat and she clutched the trolley behind her, averting the boys' gaze. Not again. Not here. This was supposed to be her safe place.

  
"Uhh, yeah, they were lace black ones. I'm not really into girls like that, but you totally do porn magazines, right?" The pink haired one seemed a little more comfortable and took a step forward. Mikan shuffled back, but she was already pressed against the front of the trolley. Maybe if she stalled them, a nurse would come in and rescue her? (She knew all of the nurses had left already, which is why she had come after school to fix up her knee. And maybe take a few bandages. And maybe to avoid walking home. Anyways.)

"I-I really don't do that sort of stuff!" She squeaked. Neither of the boys seemed deterred.

  
"Nah, if you don't do porn, you must get laid a lot! I'm only a freshman here, so tell me, who in this school have you fucked?" Leon continued.

  
"I-I-I'm not like t-that! Please stop!" Oh no, the tears were coming. This is where they would definitely make fun of her at best, or take advantage at worst.

  
A new, high-pitched voice sounded out as clear as a bell.

 

"Can you, like, stop trying to get pussy for five minutes? I haven't been in this school for more than four days and everyone here is a horndog, I swear!"

  
Just when Mikan felt a tear slip down her cheek, she turned to face the...most beautiful girl she'd ever seen. The guys seemed to be just as astonished, and fled the room like dogs with tails in-between their legs. Not without Leon giving a quick catcall and Souda's laughter echoing down the hallway.

  
The girl stood in front of Mikan, but she was too intimidated to look past her waist. Her skirt was high, higher than the dress code allowed, but Mikan doubted that anyone had said anything. Her boots were shiny and probably more expensive than anything Mikan ever owned in her lifetime.

  
"I know standing hunched over in front of a trolley is a super exciting hobby, but the pile of papers I need is on the trolley. So you kind of need to move."

  
Mikan jumped out of the way, so quickly that she stumbled and fell onto the floor. The girl didn't seem to care about Mikan's fall and stepped in front of the trolley, placing a bright yellow sheet of paper in a basket. Mikan looked up and gasped. She had to be a model. No other girl in the school had such heavy makeup or perfectly styled hair. I mean, not that the makeup looked _bad_ , in fact, it just accentuated all of her gorgeous features, and her hair looked as if it was as soft as cotton-

  
Mikan's thoughts short-circuited as the girl bent over and clutched Mikan's hands in her own.

"Oh. My gosh. How did I not recognize you?! You're Mikan Tsumiki, aren't you?"

  
 Mikan nodded dumbly.

  
"You, are like, my savior! My internet hero in black lace panties and a school uniform! See, I have really terrible scoliosis. As well as other sicknesses that make life a living hell. But I found your medical blog on tumblr, and I practiced those scoliosis treatment techniques until my back hurt less! What a coincidence, isn't it?" The other girl stared intensely at Mikan. She was powerless under that intense blue stare.

 

The girl leaped back, releasing Mikan's hands. She cupped her face and twirled around the room.

  
"You! Have! No! Idea! How! Excited! I! Am! To! See! You! You're even prettier in person! Oh, B-T-W, my name is Junko Enoshima. But you can call me whatever."

  
The quick one-sided conversation was making Mikan's head start to throb. She thought the girl had called her pretty, or even complimented her more than once, but she wasn't so sure with how fast everything was happening.

  
"J-Junko! If it's okay if I call you that? I, uh, I'm so happy I was able to help! I didn't really think anyone looked at my blog, ever." Mikan stuttered out, rising to her feet.

  
"Yeah! Anyways, since you're like, a magician with medical shit, you should come over my house tomorrow and help me with my scoliosis techniques. See if I'm doing anything wrong! My annoying brat of a sister should be out tomorrow, and don't worry about meeting my parents. Here's my phone number!" Junko pulled out a slip of paper from her shirt pocket and dropped it into Mikan's hands. Maybe if Mikan had time to think, she would've questioned _why_ Junko had her number written down beforehand, or _why_ Junko was in the nurse's office at this time. But all that occupied her mind was that she was going over _Junko Enoshima's_ house tomorrow. Alone.

  
Without another word, Junko left the office as quickly as she had come and Mikan was left wondering if any of that really happened. The only evidence was the piece of paper, and the deep marks Junko's nails had dug into her hands.


	3. Lovefool

Compared to Mikan's tiny, modest apartment, Junko Enoshima lived in a mansion.

  
It was a large structure, with off-white pillars in the front surrounding seven foot double doors. Small marble steps led up the the doors, and to the sides of the entrance were numerous windows. The black curtains were all closed tightly, so Mikan couldn't see the inside. She had no doubt it was just as upscale and prestigious as the outside.

  
The poor girl was exhausted from simply _walking_ there. Since she had no car (or license, due to her freaking out every time she almost crashed. It took four anxiety attacks and a sobbing fit before she was deemed 'unready' by her driving instructor), she had to walk.

  
Never mind the actual mile and a half it took from Mikan's house to Junko's estate, it took thirty minutes just to walk past the gravel road, down past the lake, through the meadow and finally, across the garden that surrounded the residence. For such a lengthy walk, it was worth it to listen to the comforting gurgle of the outside fountain, and the soft chirps of crickets that were hiding in the grass. Mikan stood in absolute awe in front of the fountain for a while. It was impressive - around six feet tall, made of pure white stone with a carved...bear...on the top. Well, every family has it's oddities.

  
Mikan carefully made her way past the fountain, and up the steps, making sure not to carelessly trip over nothing. With her luck, it wouldn't be surprising if she accidentally flashed Junko or one of her family members.

  
She finally stood in front of the large doors that towered over her. They cast foreboding shadows over her, and she shivered - whether it was from nervousness, or the chill, she couldn't tell.

  
Before she could even touch the handle (which she noticed was polished to a shine), the double doors flew open with a **_bang!_**

  
"Junko Enoshima is up in this biiiiiitch!" Junko yelled, flipping her strawberry blonde ponytails over each shoulder. She smiled with her teeth bared, as if she was a rabid dog ready to bite.

  
"Mikan, you took _so_ long. While you were getting here I painted my nails, washed my hair, made some brownies and fed my pet tigers. Now get inside!" Mikan could barely form a sentence before she was yanked inside, and the doors were slammed behind her. If she had had any second thoughts, they were pushed to the side in favor of admiring the gorgeous interior design. The wallpapers were a bright white and gold, with a silver rug placed in the entrance-way. The room branched off to the left and to the right, and in front was a small stairway leading upstairs. Everything was sparkling and shiny and looked like it could pay Mikan's future college fees.

  
Junko's grip on Mikan's arm tightened and she was dragged up the stairs before she could admire the house any further. Blinking in shock, Mikan recalled something Junko had said earlier.

  
"Feed your _pet tigers_? Um, that's actually kind of scary."

  
"I was kidding! Jeez, can't you take a joke?"

  
"S-sorry!" Mikan squealed. Junko was...a lot harsher than when they had first met. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea.

  
The younger girl finally brought Mikan to a room next to the staircase, and compared to the rest of the house it was...well, at least the bed looked nice.

  
Apart from the king-sized bed, Mikan couldn't help noticing the expensive clothes strewn about, heaped onto chairs and dressers. There were other things, like a laptop (buried underneath a black push-up bra), magazines (all featuring Junko), and scattered makeup brushes.

  
Junko leaped onto the bed and spread out her arms and legs, the red plush fabric settling down around her like a sea of blood. Mikan slowly crept into the room, and try as hard as she might, the urge to clean up was irresistible.

  
_I guess a supermodel doesn't have time to clean up._ Mikan's fingers brushed against one of the magazines. It featured Junko in a red crop top and high waisted jeans, grinning and giving the peace sign to the cameras. It was a more carefree grin than the one she gave earlier. A less...predatory one.

  
"This is so cool! Junko, I didn't know you were in magazines!" She couldn't keep the excitement out of her voice. No wonder Junko had such an amazing house, she was probably rolling in cash from her modelling career.

  
There was the sound of sliding fabric, a thump, and Junko was kneeling behind her.

  
"Oh yeah. I mean, how could a pretty face like mine not get attention? Here, flip to page seven. I was interviewed by some weird woman named Ritsuko." Junko reached over Mikan's shoulder and flipped the page. The headline read in bold black print:  ** _Interview with Junko Enoshima: a model quickly growing in popularity._**

  
Below the headline was a short interview. Skimming through it, Mikan could see that Junko answered most questions with a snappy response, and didn't even attempt to hide that she was probably the most narcissistic person on the planet. Junko seemed to read Mikan's thoughts and stated,

  
"My modelling agency decided that my personality was already a selling trait. I already knew I was appealing, but this just confirms it!" She laughed, a sound that was both angelic and terrifying. Red nails snatched the magazine away and another hand pushed the clothes out of Mikan's hands and back onto the floor.

  
"Aww, I always knew you were a housewife deep down, but you don't need to clean up! Mukuro always does that, and she's out training or whatever. Not that I care what she's doing anyways." Junko said. Mikan blushed scarlet and avoided Junko's gaze. _A housewife?!_

  
Then, Junko...started lifting her shirt?

  
"W-wait! What are you d-doing?" Mikan raised her arms in front of her, blocking out Junko's ~~perfect~~ body.

  
Junko stared at her in puzzlement, her arms clutched around her shirt as it was pulled up over her stomach.

  
"Uh. Aren't you going to help me with my scoliosis? Or did you forget that's why I brought you over?" There was a hint of annoyance in Junko's tone. Before Mikan could apologize, Junko tackled Mikan to the floor, pinning her arms above her head.

  
"Or were you expecting something else?"

  
Mikan couldn't breathe. Couldn't _think_. She could only gaze into those light blue eyes, with eyeliner smudged slightly on one side. Junko lowered her head, and she felt the other girl's warm breath against her neck.

  
"Mikan. _Mikan_."

  
Mikan slowly raised her eyes.

  
Junko looked at her with a warm smile, completely different from the smile from before and the smile in the magazine. It was genuine and affectionate, and her eyes were creased with happiness.

  
Mikan felt cold. Her body turned to ice at the disgusting, _loving_ look.

  
"Mikan...I know you want me. And I want you too. We don't have to have sex - ever, if you want. I just want to know if you'll be by my side, forever. I need you."

  
_I want you._

  
**_I need you._**

  
Breath filled Mikan's lungs, and she started to thrash wildly. _No, no, no, no._

  
"N-no, no, you just want to _**fuck** _ me, I know you do. All a-anyone, all anyone wants to do is fuck me. How could you love me when you b-barely even know me?! I hate you, I hate you, stop, don't touch me-!" Everything was a manic blur or colors and sounds. Mikan was batting at Junko's arms, scratching her face, anything to get the model away. Anything to get those disgusting, fake words out of the air.

  
_I bet Junko hates me now_ , Mikan thought, a sob already caught in her throat.

  
A soft shushing noise eventually roused Mikan from her fit. Without realizing it, she had been crying and screaming. A gentle hand was stroking her head, fixing her chopped purple hair and tucking strands back into their place.

  
Junko's face was fucked up.

  
A thin, bleeding cut stretched from her forehead to the middle of her cheek. One of her eyes was bruised, and her makeup was smudged everywhere. Dark red stains matted her once-perfect curls. Despite looking like she went to Hell and back, Junko still had that lovesick smile on her face.

  
"Shhhh. I'm here for you. What people did to you is _awful_. But I'm here. I'll always be here. I'll never let them touch you again." Junko's soft voice felt like it was inside Mikan's own brain, caressing her insecurities and fears.

  
Mikan whimpered and found herself leaning into the kind touch.

  
_No one loves me. No one will ever even like me. But still._

_But still._

  
But still, she wanted to believe the sweet lies.

  
"Mikan...there are many cruel people in this world. So, so many. They deserve punishment. The only way you can let yourself trust and _love_ again - is to take back what they stole from you. I know it's rough now. I'm not promising you it's going to be fixed right away. But nothing will ever get better until you take revenge, and I'll show you how."

  
The words were like a soft embrace. Yes. It was all their fault. All the bullying, the harassment.

  
"Join me, Mikan. I need you. And I know you need me too."

  
Mikan let out a quiet sob into Junko's shoulder. The other girl went silent, and for a while Mikan could only focus on the gentle hand stroking her head.

  
Those were the words Mikan had always wanted to hear. It was so easy to believe, so easy to imagine a life with this super-hot model. They could be anything, they could _do_ anything.

  
At last, Mikan cleared her throat and sniffed.

  
"O-okay."


	4. Lies

It hasn't even been an hour since Mikan left Junko's house, and all she did was stare at the Polaroid picture they took.

  
Junko had covered up her bruises and cuts with foundation for the photo. Mikan had apologized again and again, but Junko didn't care about the injuries. _It's no big deal for a hotshot like me,_ she had said.

  
Though Junko offered to do Mikan's makeup ( _I'm not going to take another picture if you change your mind_ ), she had politely refused. Due to being sick a lot as a child, she was allergy tested for many things; and certain makeups were on the long list. Maybe she would be pretty if she could wear makeup. She didn't lie to herself, she knew she was ugly. Her hair was always greasy and her eyebrows were way too bushy. Junko had bushy eyebrows too, but she trimmed and penciled them in to look nice.

  
Mikan couldn't help compare the two in the photo. Junko was grinning wholeheartedly, her teeth so white it blurred in the darkness of her room. Compared to how colorful and lively Junko looked, Mikan was just like an old coffee stain in the background. Her eyes were still puffy from crying earlier, but she knew her smile then was genuine. After her crying fit, they had devoured the brownies Junko made and read magazines on her bed. They...

  
They had even _held hands_.

  
The memory made Mikan giggle to herself. Junko had actually wanted to touch her!

  
Not to mention, they were dating now. Imagine that - a rich model finding love in a pathetic high school girl! She had never let herself imagine a scenario like this, it was too impossible, too extreme. But now that she was living her fantasy, Mikan knew this was what she had been craving her whole life: love.

  
Mikan fell asleep that night with a smile on her face.

***

"Yeah, I have it all planned out," Junko said to her sister, while simultaneously writing furiously in a small notebook. The raven haired girl busied herself by cleaning up Junko's room. Mukuro was tired from loading and reloading different guns all day, but Junko would throw a fit if her room wasn't clean immediately.

  
"I was missing someone to make all the pieces of this puzzle fit together. Since you're busy training for the Big Day, I'll need someone to do all the dirty work instead! Mikan is just like you - annoying, needy, and willing to do anything I say. She can help with, y'know." Mukuro didn't have to look up to hear that Junko was doing her best 'cutesy' voice. Junko often got bored with her personality. and changed it often. Since most people took a liking to her charismatic personality, she used that one the most to manipulate others. But since Mukuro was already devoted to her, she didn't have any reason not to entertain herself whichever way she wanted.

  
"Aww, don't make me say it out loud! It's embarrassing for a cute girl like me to say! It's so disturbing, so awful, so _despair inducing_!" Mukuro finished putting the last magazine away under her bed, and stood up to face her sister. Junko was staring blankly at her notebook with a large grin spread across her face. The blonde girl quickly snapped out of it and pulled Mukuro onto the bed. Mukuro slowly sat on her knees and Junko held the notebook in front of her, the page facing towards Mukuro.

  
It was...a poorly drawn picture of a girl with choppy hair and big, unrealistic tears rolling down her face.

  
"This is Mikan." Junko said proudly.

  
"That looks like it was drawn by a child," said Mukuro.

  
The younger sister was awarded with a _bop_ on the head. Junko flipped the page, and showed Mukuro again. It was another poorly drawn artwork, but this time there was a picture of Mikan, with lines from her connecting to other people. One of the lines connected to a bunch of people with no faces, and the other line connected to a drawing of a guy with long black hair.

  
"Can your stupid brain comprehend what this is? Or will I have to explain everything?" Junko asked, and Mukuro knew that she was supposed to ask what it was. Before she could say anything, Junko grabbed a pair of glasses (without lenses), from her shirt pocket and slipped them on.

  
"I shall be merciful and tell you. I know I've told you about what I want to do to Kamukura High School in three months. You already know your role that day, but it doesn't hurt to know what will be happening before and after that day. I have everything planned." Junko paused to set down the notebook.

  
"I will fake a romantic relationship with that annoying pig I mentioned. She will help to - oh fuck, what is it?" Mukuro had raised her hand slowly, and cringed when Junko folded her arms in anger.

  
"When you say, 'that annoying pig', you mean Mikan, right?" The smaller sister asked softly. Junko nodded her head once.

  
"Obviously. Now, I've stalked Mikan's blogs online, so I know basically everything about her. She wants to go to college and study to be a nurse. But, her dreams are wishy-washy because of her lack of self esteem. It's like, totally pathetic, but it makes it easier for me. She's already 100% in love with me, so she'll go along with the Big Day."  
Mukuro nodded her head dumbly.

  
"If something unexpected happens, or if she chickens out, your job is to dispose of her. But before the Big Day, she will help introduce me to Izuru Kamukura himself."

  
Mukuro shyly raised her hand again.

  
" _ **What now?**_ "

  
"By Izuru Kamukura, do you mean the son of the guy who founded the Kamukura High Sc-"

  
"Yes! It's a good thing you're the athletic one, because all your intelligence must have been transferred to me in the womb. I will manipulate Izuru Kamukura into helping me, and then blame the Big Day on him, which will ruin his life forever!" With this, Junko jumped up and bounced on the bed. As Junko laughed at her own brilliance, Mukuro carefully picked up the notebook. Flipping through, there were many detailed descriptions and plans. Numbers and places were written down, as well as photos of people that were undoubtedly essential to the plan. Her gaze stopped on a picture of a grainy picture of a young teenager. His back was towards the camera, and all she could see was long, thick black hair cascading past his shoulders. Next to him was another boy, with short brown hair and an innocent, carefree smile. Junko noticed Mukuro's lingering gaze and snatched the notebook from her.

  
"Nuh uh uh! No lookie! My eyes only! Your ugly pig eyes will burn the pages and I'll have to start my plans all over!" Junko caressed the notebook lovingly for a second before throwing it behind her.

  
"By the way, the photo you saw was like, from 2011 or some shit. It's real old. There's almost no pictures of Izuru online, so I had to go into the deep web to find that. Apparently he's also like some child prodigy, so it'll be fun breaking him." Junko said, before collapsing back onto her bed. "Go away. Your stinky breath is clogging up my room."

  
Mukuro understood that it would be best to leave now. If she didn't, Junko would get physical. Of course Junko couldn't actually win in a fist fight, but who was she to fight her own amazing, beautiful sister?

  
"Oh, and another thing..." Mukuro paused halfway through the door to turn and look at her sister. Junko was flipping through a magazine nonchalantly.

  
"The 'Big Day' sounds too cheesy. This isn't some fucking Disney channel spin-off, we're talking about mass genocide here. How about, 'The Worst, Most Despair Inducing Event in the History of Kamukura High School?'"

  
"That sounds a bit overdramatic. How about, the Tragedy of Kamukura High School?" Junko threw a pillow across the room, successfully hitting Mukuro in the face.

  
"My idea is soooo much cooler! Get out!" And thus, another pillow was thrown, closing the door.

  
Mukuro adjusted her clothing. The poor girl Junko was dating looked so innocent. It was a shame she would fall so quickly into Junko's claws, but it's all for despair! And despair was the highlight of her pathetic existence!  
  
_Right?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yoo i edited out the DID, after someone in the comment section brought attention that it was unlike her personality in the game. so uh here


	5. Jealous Girl

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> whoop de doo here's another chapter I pulled out of my ass! I haven't posted in a while but the next chapter should be really fun to write and won't take too much time

The following weeks were pure bliss for Mikan Tsumiki.

  
No one dared to lay a finger on her with Junko by her hip every second of the day. Junko wanted their relationship to be a secret for a while, so physical affection was out of the question. Of course, that was never an issue, as the two would talk all of the time. Junko was constantly talking - whether it was asking her who so-and-so's name is, or making plans with fellow peers. It was funny; Mikan didn't remember talking this much to her classmates the entire year. She didn't know many people, but Junko was quick to latch onto others, and meet new people through those classmates.

  
Some of the kids Mikan had seen around were finally given names. A scene girl with tattoos and dyed hair was Ibuki Mioda, and she invited Junko and Mikan to a concert coming up. The bands playing there sounded really heavy and dark, but Junko accepted the invitation anyways. Well, Mikan supposed it would be fun if Junko was there.

  
Then there was another girl in the class, who was the most popular student on campus and apparently she had only been in the school for a few months. Junko especially took a liking to her, perhaps a bit too much of a liking. Junko's bright blue eyes lit up whenever she talked to her, and swayed her hips a bit more than usual. But maybe Mikan was looking too far into it.

  
It wasn't until they were alone at Junko's house that Mikan brought it up.

  
"Y-You know that Sonia girl?" Mikan began. She was kneeling on the rug in her room, a bundle of old clothes on her lap. For a second Mikan thought Junko hadn't heard her from deep inside her walk-in closet, but soon she saw her strawberry blonde pigtails poke out.

  
"Duh! She's like, my favorite person at this school. Besides you, of course. Also, here's another pair of boots that'll fit you. Now that you're hanging around me, you can't wear those shabby slippers all the time. They look like you stole them from some charity case on the streets." Mikan flinched as a pair of high heeled leather boots collided with her face.

  
Rubbing her nose, she squeezed her eyes shut in pain.

  
"I-! I-I'm sorry, I'll never wear them again, I'm sorry! I would never purposefully r-ruin your reputation!" Mikan glanced down at her dress.

  
"But, uh. Don't you think Sonia's kinda gross?"

  
There was a few seconds of silence, and Mikan thought for sure that she would be kicked out of the house.

  
Junko emerged from her closet, wearing a carefully neutral face and sliding the doors shut behind her.

  
"Mikan...are you jealous?" Though it was phrased as a question, there was no doubt Junko had already figured it out. She felt the familiar sensation of tears well up. From past experience, she knew the onslaught of names would come. _Crybaby. Pussy. Attention seeker._

  
Mikan closed her eyes and hid her face behind her hands. She could feel Junko kneeling down, and the other girl's cold hands covered her own.

  
"Aww, c'mon now. I'm not dating Sonia, now, am I?"

  
Mikan sniffled. She was pathetic, the absolute worst. Junko had done nothing but treat her kindly the past two weeks, and this was how she repaid her. With tears running down her face and snot smeared across her cheeks.

  
"Hey. Hey, c'mon. Wanna know something? _I'm using her._ " Mikan paused in her sniffling. Curiosity beat her self loathing, and she opened her hands to stare at Junko in confusion. There was a mix of annoyance and...something else on her girlfriend's face. Something that should've caused her fear if she knew better.

  
"Sonia Nevermind. Daughter of Giotto Nevermind, the elected King of Novoselic, a small but important island on the coast of Europe. The economy is well off from trading with nearby countries, such as England, and Santorini. Point is, the little blonde girl is fucking rich from her daddy's political success. If we get on her good side, we have unlimited money, not to mention status and popularity. So cheer the fuck up already and stop looking at me like that!"

  
She...had been using Sonia?

  
"W-wait, but, why do you need all that? You're r-rich, a-and perfect already!" Even though this was all so confusing, a heavy cloud had been lifted from her heart. ~~_But if she's using Sonia, isn't she using you?_ ~~ There was no way Junko would use her. Junko sincerely loved her, and there was nothing to be gained from using her, anyways.

  
Junko tapped her fingernails on the rug, looking impatient.

  
"Mikan, you love me, right?"

  
Mikan hiccuped.

  
~~_She could be using you-_~~

  
"Yes."

  
Junko leaned in, looking up at Mikan with big puppy dog eyes. "You'll do anything for me then, right? Well, there's something I want to do in the future. And I want you with me to enjoy it! But to do that, there's a looooot of gross, icky people I need to suck up to. I'm working my ass off to make it happen for _us_ , ya know! So don't worry about it!" Junko tapped Mikan on the nose and giggled, causing Mikan to giggle as well.

  
"Ah, okay! I believe you! But um, what do you have planned?" Mikan asked.

  
"I don't think you're ready to know juuuuuuuust yet! You won't be able to appreciate it fully right now. But it's totally fucking fantastic so don't worry your silly little head about it!" Junko finished her talking-to and patted Mikan's head as if she was a small child. Some might think it was condescending, but Junko's soft touch felt like heaven in that moment.

  
Mikan attempted to clean her face by wiping it on one of the shirts Junko had tossed her. Junko stood abruptly and heard her enter the closet again.

  
"By the way, talking about Sonia - she invited us to a party she's having this weekend! Which is partly why I'm giving you my old clothes. I'll also find some makeup that you can actually use, and...ugh! Fuck! You are sooo much work!" Junko was muffled from being engulfed in designer outfits, but Mikan could still hear the fond exasperation in her voice. She sat and thought about what her girlfriend had said for a few minutes. Did Sonia get to hold hands with Junko? No. So, why should it matter to her that Junko needed to suck up to the transfer student?

  
That's right, it didn't matter. Junko was her's and her's alone. Mikan giggled to herself quietly and gripped the clothes in her hands. Even if Junko was talking to other people, nothing mattered, except their love. And knowing that was enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> stay tuned for izuru's introduction and drunk crybaby hinata


	6. A Fateful Encounter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> lmao get that chapter reference  
> anyways it's 1 am and i shit this out somehow. i think it's the best (and longest) chapter in the series so far, so enjoy!! <3

Ibuki was the one who greeted them at the door, practically knocking it off of it's hinges just to see the newcomers. She was dolled up for the occasion, wearing heavier makeup than usual and sporting a really, _really_ colorful polka dot dress with striped leggings. Behind her was a bashful looking Sonia, who apologetically raised her hands.

  
"Oh myyyy, what have we got here?! Looks like the all-mighty Junko made it! And...ah!" Ibuki's eyes lit up as soon as she spotted Mikan. Mikan shrank back, but it wasn't noticeable enough to stop Ibuki from tackling her.

  
"Oh my gosh, oh my gosh! For the first time in a trillion years, Mikan Tsumiki is dressed up and ready for action! You absolutely have to come with me, everyone's gonna fall head over heels once they see you! That shy but pretty aura you have going on has definitely ranked you up to at least a level 10 dandere!" Ibuki continued, latching onto the other girl's wrists. Mikan glanced back at Junko, who was ignoring the two and instead conversing with Sonia. No one could help her now.

  
Continuing her chatter, Ibuki pushed Mikan through the door and into the crowd. Junko was quickly hidden by the mass of people, and she felt her palms grow sweaty in fear. Mikan hadn't considered that she would be separated from Junko during the party, and now that they were she didn't really know what to do. Should she make up an excuse to go back? Or should she go along with Ibuki?

  
The choice was made for her when Ibuki forcefully sat her at a table near the front. Ibuki sat down next to her and immediately started chatting up a guy next to her, with short brown hair and a plain dress shirt and pants. He seemed almost as nervous as she was, and gave her an awkward wave. Next to him sat a short girl that was immersed in some handheld game. She didn't even notice Mikan's presence. Across from her sat a red-haired girl who looked like she was just trying to drink juice, but a girl with blonde pigtails and a childish face kept trying to drag her up to dance. The red-haired girl looked up at Mikan and saw the chance to escape dancing, so she scooted closer and initiated a conversation.

  
"Hey, you're Mikan, right? I've noticed you hanging out with Junko a lot, but you never really seem to talk much. Oh - but that's okay, I guess I'm the same way around people. I'm Mahiru." Mahiru said. The young-looking girl looked very irritated that she wasn't getting any attention, and dragged a chair over.

  
"Oh yeah, you're that push-over girl everyone used to make fun of, but now you just cling onto that wannabe model you're dating. Mahiruuuu, can't you see she's a total boring slut? Come on, this is a fun dance!"

  
Mikan unconsciously leaned away from the girl, feeling the familiar sting of tears in her eyes. That's right, now she recognized her. She was usually in the crowd that laughed at her everytime she fell in public. Wasn't her name, Hiroko, or something...?

  
"Hiyoko, that's not nice! And it's not polite to assume someone is dating someone! But uhm. Mikan, is it true that you two are...?"

  
"Eee! Don't tell me it's that obvious?" Mikan shrieked, forgetting Hiyoko's mean comment for a second. Had their relationship been that apparent?

  
"Oh - no, don't worry! I won't tell anyone-"

  
"Ohoho, you better worry. Unless you buy me three bags of candy on Monday, I'll tell everyone it's official." Hiyoko flashed Mikan her infamous evil grin. Mahiru seemed too tired to argue, and chose to grab her drink again.

  
"Uh-uhm. Yes! Okay...okay I'll do it!" Mikan stuttered.

  
"Glad we have an agreement, pig barf! Now, Mahiru, dance with me! Please?" Almost like a switch, Hiyoko turned to smile innocently at Mahiru. The other girl sighed and stood up.

  
"Do you want to dance with us? I'm not that great of a dancer, so it's okay if you mess up too. Hiyoko on the other hand is great at dancing, so don't feel bad if she leaves us in the dust." said Mahiru, offering a hand to Mikan. Nervously, she glanced around. Nobody was looking in their direction, and in the dim light it was difficult to tell who was who. There were only a few couples and friends dancing, but most of the kids were just socializing. It wasn't quite a rave, but it wasn't quite an elegant party either. Although, there were definitely many expensive ornaments and decorations around Sonia's home.

  
"Um, yeah. I'll dance! B-but, I hope I don't fall and break something!" Mikan eyed a vase nearby in particular.

  
"You'll do fine. Come on!"

  
Mikan gulped and took Mahiru's hand.

 

***

 

It was a pain in the ass getting rid of Sonia. Within the first few minutes, Junko had already gotten the information she needed. 'Yes, Izuru Kamukura was indeed at the party, and yes, I am dating Gundham Tanaka. Why ask?'

  
Everything felt so redundant and boring, but it was needed if Junko wanted her plan to be successful. The tight, dark red wrap dress was uncomfortable as fuck, but it definitely brought attention to her figure. Not like Junko cared what anyone at this party thought; most of them were immature brats. But Izuru Kamukura was here, and that's all that mattered.

 

  
It was a half-lie when she told Mikan that she was using Sonia for her status and money. After forcing Mukuro to investigate into the lives of her classmates, she had collected an enormous amount of dirt. Figurative dirt, of course - why the hell would a model want dirt in her house? What Mukuro had found, though, had made this party all the more interesting. Hacking into Souda's private social media account had been worth it.

  
It was like the perfect opportunity for despair had fallen right into her lap. It would be a shame to waste it.

  
So Junko wasted no time beginning her search for Izuru. She didn't bother looking for him in the main room - a recluse genius wouldn't want to be in the center of attention. Sonia's house was almost as big as her own mansion, and to a normal teenage girl, Junko would be trembling in fear in case she got lost.

  
But using her own analytical ability, she knew Izuru wouldn't be too far away from the party. Maybe one or two rooms away, where he could still partially be involved without having to socialize much. But the main room didn't have any adjourning rooms, just a stairwell leading to the open second floor -

  
Junko snapped her head up, stopping in the middle of the lobby. Someone short bumped into her, shouting curses at her, but she wasn't listening. Her crystal blue eyes were locked onto a tall figure leaning on the balcony who was looking down at the crowd of people.

  
It didn't take long for her to reach him, and up close he was a lot more attractive than the photos she'd seen. His glossy black hair was much longer than what she'd seen, almost reaching down to his feet. Bored, dark eyes refused to meet her gaze. She was sure he'd acknowledged her presence, but he continuously stared at the people below.

  
Irritated, Junko bounced over to him, leaning dangerously over the balcony next to him.

 

"Hey, you must be Izuru Kamukura! I'm totally a huuuuge fan! What's an ultra mega hottie like you doing in a place like this?"

  
Izuru finally turned to her, studying her face for a second.

  
"How do you know who I am?"

  
"Pffft! Y'know, just stalking you on the deep web. Nothing much. You've done a lot to avoid fame, so really you should be thankful I put all that time into researching you!" Junko leaned back from the rail and swayed from side to side.

  
Izuru blinked once and returned his attention to the people below. After a few seconds of agonizing silence (with Junko's irritation scale increasing rapidly) he replied.

  
"Junko Enoshima. I didn't predict I would ever meet you in person. Tell me, why did you try so desperately to find me?" Thought it was phrased as a question, everything he said sounded monotone. For a guy who was supposed to be some mysterious smartypants, Junko thought he was pretty boring.

  
"O.K., this conversation is going to put me to sleep, so I'll get to the point. I think you and I could be a great team. From what I know about you, you have a super duper serious case of depression and boredom. I promise I'll make your life more interesting. Oh what the hell, I'll even get you free meds! You'd have to be dumber than a rock to resist this offer, and I know a modern day Albert Einstein like yourself would never give this up!" Finally Izuru turned to face Junko, and took a step closer. His expression remained blank.

  
"Where do you profit from this?"

  
Junko stopped swaying. With a fluid movement, she pulled out fake glasses from inside her bra, and tied her hair into one messy ponytail. It would take a lot to convince Izuru to join, and she had made sure to be fully prepared. Well, maybe it wasn't _necessary_ to change personalities, but it did make things interesting, and that's what Izuru was after.

  
"You must be pondering why I have went through all the hassle into finding you and begging for your assistance. To begin to understand the enigma that is Junko Enoshima; you must know that we are not two unlike creatures. I suffer from the same boredom that haunts you. I understand first hand that pills don't solve everything. Living life is meaningless if it is all predictable, and there's only one way to solve it."

  
Izuru motionlessly watched Junko slip off her glasses, pull out her hair, and throw her hands excitedly into the air.

  
"Despair! That's my goal! It's fucking fantastic! It's messy, unpredictable, and terribly wonderful. What's more interesting, a nice highschool party, or ruining someone's teenage life in a matter of ten seconds?" Junko gripped onto Izuru's arm, pretending not to notice his reluctance, and held out her phone.

  
Izuru's eyes narrowed slightly, and examined the picture on the device. It was hard to tell, since it was extremely pixelated and grainy, but it was obviously a couple kissing.

  
"I know you probably don't give two shits about anyone here - that's totally understandable! So the one right theeeere is Sonia, and the other one is Souda. Sonia is in a pretty loyal relationship with her boyfriend Gundham right now, and this whole party will throw a fucking riot once I send this out to everyone."

  
Junko put one hand on her hip and grinned. "Well?"

  
"That's incredibly boring. As well as petty."

  
"Ugh! I know the plan wasn't the best despair inducing idea ever, but there's more to come. For now, watch this."

  
With an overly exaggerated hand motion, Junko punched in the send button on her phone. Hastily she threw the phone over her shoulder, and pulled out a pair of binoculars out of her bra to watch the commotion below.

 

***

 

" _Hgngnhhrgbn._ "

  
Mikan sqeaked out of surprise, leaping away from the bathroom door in terror. _Great, all I do is try to pee, and there's a monster in the only bathroom downstairs!_

  
She thought about running away and calling for help, but the only noise she heard was the faint music in the main room and her own heart beating a mile a minute. Maybe she was hearing things.

  
" _Hnnnnngh._ Crap!" Mikan startled again, but now she at least knew it was a human in there.

  
"U-Um. Hello?" She called out, her voice wavering pathetically.

  
"Ngh. Don't come in. Someone....ugh. Someone spiked the juice." It was a guy's voice, and for some reason it sounded vaguely familiar.

  
"Oh! Well in that case, I-I think I can help! I'm a...decent nurse!" _Decent?_ Mikan groaned internally. Her nursing skills were beyond help, but maybe she could assist whoever was having trouble.   
After a few seconds, the doorknob jiggled, and was swung open. Standing in front of her was...

  
"You're the guy from before! With the ahego!" Forgetting her nervousness, her gaze surveyed the guy in front of her. He was tan, with short brown hair. His previous nervous demeanor was replaced with drunkenness, and he fought to stand up properly. And there was the fact that there was a particularly unsavory orange stain on his shirt.

  
"Ahoge. You mean ahog-" Before he could finish, he collapsed to the floor, covering his mouth with his hands.

  
"Oh! No! Oh my god! Here, I-I'll help you!" Mikan's surroundings seemed to blur together, her heart throbbing wildly in fear. With a strength she didn't know she had, she pulled him up and half-carried him into the bathroom and to the toilet. What if he choked on his puke and died?

  
While the boy clutched the toilet, she placed her index finger on the side of his throat. A steady pulse. Good. _So he isn't going to blackout...I think._

  
Now that she knew he was in stable condition, she turned to close the bathroom. With the music now almost muted, she could concentrate more.

  
There wasn't much to do, and she cringed at the sound of puke hitting the toilet bowl. Just in case the situation got worse, she pulled out her phone and placed it on the counter.

  
The bathroom was clean and pristine, like everything else in Sonia's house. Besides the white fluffy towels and shiny, decorated mirror, there were a few water bottles stacked below the sink. It wasn't exactly thievery if she was using the water for health reasons...right?

  
"Small amounts of water will help vomiting." Mikan handed him a water, and after a few sips, he leaned away from the toilet to look up at her. Now that she got a better look, she saw that his eyes were red and puffy. A look that was a familiar to her in the worst way.

  
"Um. Are you...okay?" Mikan slid to the floor across from him, making sure not to get too close. She could feel him staring at her. Direct eye contact made her nervous, so she focused on the tiles on the floor.

  
"Y'know...You know what? I haven't been okay. I haven't been okay in a while and it's fucked up." Out of the corner of her eye, she could see his eyes start tearing up again. Throwing out her hands, she shook her head viciously from side to side.

  
"W-wait no! I d-didn't mean to make you more upset! P-please don't be mad!" For a second he just stared at her blankly, before bursting into laughter. Shivering, Mikan hugged her legs closer to her body. She didn't think she said anything funny...maybe he was actually really mean?

  
"You didn't make me more upset. It's just..."

  
He finally avoided his gaze, lowering his head to stare at the floor as well.

  
"It's just. Things. Have been getting me down." The boy began. Mikan scooted closer, getting the vibe that it was storytelling time.

  
"Last week I ended the marking period with 90's in all classes. Do you know how fucking hard it was? I know - I know I'm no genius. It took skill, it took dedication. You don't know how many hours I spent studying my ass off when all I wanted to do was be with my boyfriend and girlfriend. I try my fucking hardest to get these grades, and my parents..." He dropped his voice suddenly, looking towards the door nervously.

  
"...My parents only care about my brother. He's the genius. No matter what grades I get. 'Oh, Hajime just got a fucking 100? Oh boy, why don't we go out for dinner because Izuru just got a some dumb as shit medal he's won for some bullshit competition-"

  
Mikan cleared her throat softly, and Hajime - well, at least now she new his name - stopped his rant.

  
"Who's Izuru?"

  
Hajime sighed, avoiding her gaze.

  
"An asshole. That just so happens to be my brother. He's only a year older than me, yet he's perfect at everything. Grades? Almost perfect. Athletics? Brilliant. It's sickening, I fucking hate him. He - he doesn't even _brag_. He just stands there and gives me this stare, like he knows he's better than me but he doesn't even care enough about me to say it out loud. Even though our school was named after our last name, everyone knows it's about him. Because that's what people think talent is - some narcissistic asshole that doesn't care about anything except for himself."

  
At some point, Hajime had started crying, his face a bright shade of red. Mikan looked around - maybe a napkin would help? A towel was draped over the sink, which she snatched and handed to Hajime. He blew his nose loudly and wiped his tears, smiling faintly.

  
"Thanks for listening to me. It...it just builds up, y'know? I can't escape him. He's in our school obviously - but not in _my_ classes. I saw him here, too. I don't know why he was invited. Even though he's perfect, he barely has any friends. Does he even have friends? I don't know..." Hajime struggled to stand up, and Mikan rushed over to help him.

  
"I'm not usually like this...it must be the alcohol. Haha..."

  
"Um! I know you really don't like your brother, but maybe you should g-get him and go home. I don't really think it's safe for you to be walking around...!" The two stumbled through the bathroom door, and at once they noticed the music had stopped and there was loud arguing.

  
"M-maybe you won't have to go home e-early, after all..."

 

***

 

"Lies! That is not true! I would never sink to the level of osculation with Souda!"

  
"H-hey! What does that mean?!"

  
"The proof is in the pudding, Sonia! There's multiple pictures, and it's obvious you two have had something going on!"

  
Junko watched silently from above, grinning proudly. Izuru said nothing, staring at the chaos as well. Sonia had turned off the music as soon as people started making a fuss, and now most of the people who weren't too tired from dancing were surrounding her. The ones that were the most upset were Souda, who was clutching his hat and pacing back and forth. Gundham was almost seething with rage, and it was like the light around him had dimmed to match his aura. Mahiru - who was holding onto a chair to hold herself up - was yelling obscenities at Sonia. Hiyoko looked like she was having the time of her life, and there were more than a few people taking a video of it all.

  
"Why hasn't Souda admitted it was fake?"

  
"Mhm, I blackmailed him. I told him to go along with it, otherwise I would report him to the school administration for sexually harassing Mikan. He's too dumb to realize the school wouldn't give two shits about his ass anyways." Junko replied, neatly folding the binoculars and tucking them back into her bra. She stretched, and turned on her heel to walk down the stairs.

  
"Wait."

  
A cheshire cat grin spread across her face. With one hand, she covered her mouth and turned around.

  
"Oooh, have you decided to team up with me anyways? I thought you thought this was all petty~!"

  
Izuru's eyebrows turned slightly downward, and walked in front of her until he was towering over her. For a few seconds he didn't say anything, and Junko almost thought he was going to attack her. Without Mukuro around, nobody would protect her. The thought was very despair inducing - enough to make her shiver in anticipation.

  
Izuru wasn't having it.

  
"I'll team up with you. Not because of this. I believe you'll do better in the future. Impress me." And with that, he turned and walked downstairs. Junko slumped her shoulders. _I was so ready to be beaten to a pulp!_

  
But, her goal was complete. Izuru Kamukura was now ready to go along with her plan. Poor thing, he wasn't as smart as she had hoped. Otherwise, he would've seen through her facade and left immediately. Really, she hadn't expected it to work, so she had another backup plan. Guess that was a waste of time.

  
Junko skipped down the stairs, passing the crowd of people. Sonia was now crying, and Gundham was missing in action. Souda looked like he was ready to piss himself, and the rest of the people were packing up to leave. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted long purple hair.

  
"Miiiiiiikan! We're leaving! Now. So get your ass over here." Mikan quickly raised her head, and almost dropped Hajime on the ground, who was almost entirely leaning on her. Junko grinned, recognizing him from the photo.

  
"My, my, my! Hajime Kamukura, fancy meeting you here! I knew your brother was invited, but I didn't think Sonia would let someone as untalented as you come." Hajime's face darkened, and his eyes shifted towards the floor. Looks like she had successfully hit his soft spot.

  
"Awww, Mikan, come over here. I'm not in the mood to watch a pussy cry, and I've got important things to do." Junko turned to leave, and Mikan dropped Hajime, giving him a sorry look. He waved his hand, and held onto the wall for support instead. Junko spotted Izuru making his way over to Hajime, and decided it was time to get going.

  
She clenched her hand around Mikan, and the two rushed towards the door. Mikan tried to pretend she didn't notice the evil look Hiyoko gave them.

  
"J-Junko! Where were you the whole time? I-I made some friends I think you'd want to meet!"

  
Junko scoffed. "You made friends? Wow, surprising! And I was dealing with some business."

  
Mikan fell silent, and didn't speak even as they pulled out of the driveway. She didn't speak on the highway, or until Junko dropped her off at her house, except for a quick goodbye. She was too worried about Hajime and his brother issues. She was too worried about Sonia, and how she was dealing with it all. Most of all, she was worried about who sent that awful text, dooming the party to despair.


End file.
